Be wary of leaked Microsoft code

If you haven't been living in a cave for the last week or so, you're aware that a portion of the Windows 2000 and Windows NT code base was apparently posted to the Internet. As one might expect, Microsoft is taking vigorous action to keep the code as secret as possible, including sending letters to people its identified as offering the code to others.

If you're an open source programmer, it's especially important that you avoid reading the code because it becomes possible for Microsoft to later make a case (much like SCO has done) that its valuable trade secrets, patents and proprietary technologies as embodied by the released source code have been misappropriated into one or more open source projects. Needless to say, a poorly funded open source project doesn't stand much of a chance against a legion of Microsoft attorneys.

So avoid the code. Don't download it, don't read it and if you have it, don't offer it to others.

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1 Comments

Has Microsoft identified the leak yet? How could this happen when they have kept such tight control on their code for over a decade now? A better question may be what does Microsoft have to gain from this exposure of code? The reason I ask is the statement Mark makes about open source developement.
Microsoft paid a hefty fee to SCO to license out SFU 3.0 and that cash infusion saved SCO from the brink of Chapter 11. SCO is using a good portion of these funds to take on IBM and Novell and to extract licensing fees from corporations. This open alliance with a company trying to destroy Linux is just their first attempt at gaining back lost market share.
I am not stating that MS willing divuldged their code but has anyone proven that this is production MS code? If this is a ruse and the code was incorporated into Linux, Microsoft would not have to prove that production code was integrated just the copies floating about now. It would make SCO's claim look like a tiny disagreement between life-long friends compared to the vengence that MS would unleash. A mistake of that magnitude by our community could destroy all open source projects not just Linux.
I echo Mark's sentiments, please steer clear of it if you help or plan on helping the open source initiative.
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